Hosted or managed voice services aren’t exactly a new market, but for a lot of VARs, they haven’t been on the radar screen. Often, resellers will install a VoIP system for a customer, and that’s the end of it.
But for many small businesses, even that might not be an option, since they can’t afford to invest in the infrastructure in the first place. And while some larger businesses are starting to outsource their IP communications, a lot of resellers are missing out on the opportunity to turn new and existing customers into a recurring revenue base. In some cases, it’s because resellers can’t afford the costs (or develop the expertise) to get started.
This could be why Tech Data seems to be placing so much emphasis on this market right now. The distie has made a few related announcements, including the introduction of a suite of IP communications services for hosted voice and data connectivity.
The suite is geared toward Cisco partners (at least at this point in time) who are looking to generate recurring revenue, and services include converged network connectivity for voice and data systems, as well as hosted and managed telephony solutions.
Here’s a quick rundown of options: Cbeyond BeyondVoice is a package that includes local and long-distance voice, high-speed Internet and mobile services for resellers; Telovation’s Innovate for Business Service and IP Phone Pack allow resellers to offer a managed voice solution over a Cisco IP network; and XO’s SIP Service delivers converged voice and data services to businesses with IP-PBX systems.
Hosted voice is a compelling option for customers, since resellers can bundle all the applications and features and hardware into a monthly payment plan – one that’s competitive with plans offered by the major carriers.
And they can also sell those softer benefits, such as simplified management and new ways for businesses to collaborate.
The problem, however, is getting that message out there, particularly to smaller businesses that may be hesitant to shake the status quo.When Tech Data announced its partnership with Telovations last month, the two companies decided to jointly market their services to business customers in 16 U.S. cities (via a group of select resellers). Let’s hope Tech Data decides to do something similar here in Canada.After all, managed voice services have been around for a few years now, but there’s still a lack of awareness out there, at least by smaller businesses, about some of the benefits of this model. These types of marketing efforts by vendors and distributors can provide some momentum to get it off the ground – and help resellers take advantage of missed opportunities.
